Man of Steel and The Vixen
by Kairan1979
Summary: 6.17 Combat AU. What if Lois witnessed the end of the battle?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_(Clark's POV)_

Another earth-shattering punch. I barely deflected it.

_I can't lose! I just can't!_

I kept silently repeating this mantra, while concentrating on Titan's face. Just to distract myself from pain.

Since childhood I knew that I'm much stronger than the other children. So I had to avoid fighting as much as possible. And if fights were inevitable, I always held back. I knew what a simple punch of mine can do.

But this time my enemy had a strength and durability of Kryptonian. So I hit him as hard as I could. I used every ounce of my strength.

He didn't hold back too. Even the cannibal from Seattle wasn't so strong. I felt the blood on my face. I can tell you, not a nice feeling at all.

_Awww, damn it! Hey, I know that my invulnerability has its limits! I don't need such a painful reminder! _

_And I couldn't allow myself to be vulnerable. Not now._

I managed to stop the bone spike from stabbing me. I dodged Titan's next attack and hit him.

But it wasn't enough. Titan wasn't knocked out, as I hoped. He stood up.

Fear bit me, and I couldn't shake it off. I wasn't ready to fight someone who can rise on his feet with a bone blade stuck in his chest.

God, what is this creature? Is he immortal…?

Then Titan did something completely unexpected. He smiled.

"Good fight, Kal-El".

And then he collapsed.

At last… Wait, what if it's a trap?

I quickly x-rayed fallen opponent. His heart wasn't beating. Titan was dead, killed by his own weapon. Like a Bad Guy from stupid movies.

_What now?.. LOIS!_

I turned around.

_Damn!_

Lois was not unconscious anymore. She was staring at me. And the expression on her face was… unreadable.

She saw everything. Well, not everything, but more than enough. She could even overhear Titan calling me "Kal-El".

What I am supposed to do? Running is not an option. Not this time.

* * *

_(Lois' POV)_

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Clark, the fashion-challenged farmboy from Nowheresville, was trading punches with the Big Bad Baldy. I saw blood on his face, but his eyes were burning with pure rage.

Only once I saw goody-to-shoes Clarkie like that. It was that horrible night when his girlfriend/wife was murdered.

My vision blurred for a moment. I rubbed my eyes. They were still fighting, and Smallville seemed as powerful as Titan.

_What the Hell..?._

Clark dodged Titan's bone spike and sent a strong punch to his opponent's jaw.

The Mad Wrestler _flew_ through the cage and landed with a loud "thud".

And then Titan suddenly _got up_.

I was scared. Yeah, mighty and fearless Lois Lane wanted to run and hide. And I just couldn't help myself. It was like a scene from a horror movie. But this time I wasn't a spectator. I was a Girl-That-Was-Killed-Because-She-Was-Too-Dumb-To-Run-In-The-Right-Direction.

I _really_ wanted to run. But I froze in place when I heard that Titan spoke.

"Good Fight, Kal-El".

_Kal-El?_

And then he collapsed.

I wanted to check if he was dead. I couldn't bring myself to do it. What if this monster is still alive?

Clark turned around. He looked straight into my eyes. And he gasped. Anger disappeared from his eyes. Now all I could see was…

_… fear? No, I can't believe it. He just knocked out this Juggernaut. He can't be afraid of me! For Pete's sake, I hurt my wrist trying to hit him!_

But Clark _was_ scared. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Clark Kent, the guy I knew for years. The guy I still couldn't understand completely. Especially after this night's wrestling show.

He cleared his throat.

"Lois…"

_(To be continued...)_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_(Clark's POV)._

"Lois… Are you alright?"

Is this the best you can manage? Of course, she isn't alright! Not even close!

She just kept staring at me. Not a word. Her face was pale.

The worst of childhood' nightmares all of a sudden came true. My Big Secret exposed. And it's much worse than Pete finding my spaceship, or Alicia staging "rescue" scene for Chloe. Why Lois Lane, the bane of my existence, must be the one to discover it? This woman just doesn't know when to stop. She will follow the leads, even if it meant putting herself in grave danger. Or destroying somebody's life. Her relentless pursuit of Green Arrow proved it.

"I'm fine" she finally answered. Her voice was strained.

"Are you sure?" I x-rayed Lois. No broken bones, but I can't be sure about internal damages.

At last her face changed.

"I said I'm FINE! What part of "fine" don't you understand, Smalville! YOU are the one who almost get himself killed!"

At least she's still calling me "Smalville"!

"Listen, let's just get out of here. I don't like this place". She glanced at the dead Titan nervously. "We can discuss my health later".

Suddenly my superhearing picked something up. I concentrated on the sounds. Several car engines, a lot of armed men, orders to take "them" alive. Look's like cavalry has arrived.

"What's wrong?" asked Lois. She must noticed the look on my face change.

" You are right, we _must_ get out of here. There are people with guns outside. I don't think they want to watch the fight".

Lois didn't bother to ask about a source of my knowledge. She just silently accepted it. One of the few – VERY few - things I liked about her.

"Shit. There's only one exit, and I'm sure they are already guarding it. Smallville, we are cornered".

I knew I could effortlessly avoid the guards, but what about Lois? I couldn't leave her there. Not after she risked her life _defending_ me from Titan.

It took me a few seconds to make a decision.

"We are not cornered yet. Do you trust me?"

Lois shrugged "I guess I have to".

I nodded and picked her up effortlessly.

"Hey!.." she began to protest, but "Clark Express" already supersped away.

* * *

_(Lois's POV)._

I quietly entered Chloe's apartment. My head was still spinning and my legs were slightly trembling. Don't get wrong ideas, I like traveling fast, but I'm not used to _faster than a speeding bullet _speed_._

Home, sweet home.

Chloe was sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to wake her up. But I had to. I had to talk to someone about this crazy night, and my all-knowing baby cousin was the default choice.

I shook her shoulder gently.

Chloe yawned, "Huh? Lo, issatyou? Whatime isit?"

"Wake up, Chlo, we must talk. I can't wait until morning. It's important".

"Okay", another yawn. "Butyouown me, cuz".

After a hot shower and a cup of coffee Chloe was finally able to listen.

"Chlo, do you remember our talk about secrets in "Torch" office? After Alicia Baker was framed and killed?"

Chloe blinked. Now I had her attention.

"Yeah, I remember", she started carefully. "You gave me a good advice, Lo".

"I guess something changed since I started writing for "Inquisitor". Now I just can't ignore things. I feel the urge to investigate every time I find something".

"You are reporter, Lo. It's natural".

"And when I discovered something interesting in your trash can..."

"You WHAT!"

"Aren't you the one who told me "it's a dead end"? But I recognized the place. And I was desperate to find a good theme for the article. The underground fighting beat Chupakabra sightings any time of the day, don't you think? So", I shrugged, "I just went there to investigate the "dead end" of yours".

I knew the look on my cousin's face. It was "you could get yourself killed!" look. Last thing I needed were lectures about caution. So I had to interrupt Chloe before she started.

"Please, Chlo, let me finish the story. Then you can yell at me as much as you want. Deal?"

Reluctantly, Chloe agreed.

"…and then he gave me a free ride home. Consider it a happy end. Questions?"

"You never told me who this Man of Steel was".

Of course I didn't. I slightly edited the story, never using "Smallville" or even "Clark". Instead I called him "Man of Steel", "Leather Jacket" or even "Terminator Jr.". I was always good with nicknames, you know. Why did I do it? Because I wasn't absolutely sure that Chloe _knew_.

"What's with you, Chlo? No ideas? Like you had no ideas about Green Arrow's secret identity?" Low blow, I know. I couldn't help it. I just needed some payback, after all. "That's too bad, Chlo. Look's like your investigative skills are rusty".

Chloe was good. She could fool everyone but yours truly. But I saw it in her eyes. Chloe _knew_. My suspicions were just confirmed.

She sighed.

" Well, maybe I know something about the man you've mentioned. I'm just wondering what are _you_ going to do, Lo?"

"I don't know. Really, Chlo, I don't know".

_(__Next chapter – Chloe's POV__)_


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N :** thanks to all my readers. Special thanks to **superlc529** for pointing out at my mistakes, and **Lara-Van** for supporting me.

* * *

**Chapter 2  
**

_Chloe's POV._

Isn't it a miracle how much your life can change in a few weeks?

I realized that I reached the dead end trying to make things right with my cousin. Lois is purposely avoiding both me and Clark.

Can you blame her, after all? I remember how shocked I was after Alicia's little stunt. Revelations like this are too big to ignore or pretend that nothing happened. The fact that I _knew_, but never told her, made everything even worse.

So I had to drag somebody else into this mess.

Ring, ring.

"Hello, Oliver!"

"Chloe? What a nice surprise! Already found out what I was looking for?"

"Not yet. But we've got a problem".

As if he hadn't enough problems trying to control Queen Industries and run the Justice League at the same time. I mentally prepared myself.

"Ollie, it's about Clark".

"Boy Scout in danger...?" Ollie's voice has slightly changed. I guess he was going to send the whole team to rescue mission. Alas, this sort of problems couldn't be solved by League' superpowers.

"Well, not physically. But yes, he is in danger".

"And who is the villain of the story?"

"It's my cousin. Lois Lane".

"Huh? Now I want an explanation".

"She found out about special talents".

Pause. Too long and too uncomfortable, almost theatrical. I decided to explain.

"She wanted to write a story about the underground fighting club for Inquisitor. Clark was looking for this club too, because they used the meteor infected from Belle Reeve".

"I wonder who was more surprised – Lois or Boy Scout," said Oliver. "So let's skip to the aftermath. What exactly is Lois thinking about Clark's hidden side?"

"I don't know, Oliver. And that's really scaring me".

"You didn't talk to her about her newfound knowledge?

"Lois just told me what happened. I think she wanted to confirm that I knew his secret. And the next day she packed her things and left "Talon" for good, without telling me about her plans. She didn't even leave a note."

"Where is she now?"

"She lives in a shithole of apartment in southern Metropolis. Not a Suicide Slums, but not a place I wanted her to live in too".

"Have you tried to call her?"

"Of course I tried! But she never answered my calls. Maybe Lois feels that she can't trust me anymore. And," I sighed, "maybe she is right".

"Do you have any clues about what she's up to?"

"Nope. All I know is that she buried herself in work. Wrote several good articles – hardly an Inquisitor material, but still she managed to print them. Now she is searching Metropolis looking for new stories. She recruited Jimmy to take photos, and now they both can get killed. You know Lois, she is too fearless for her own good. And I'm absolutely helpless, Ollie! I can't even talk to Jimmy. Not after our breakup. It's still too painful".

"Jimmy Olsen is an idiot" I was surprised to hear the stern notes in Oliver's voice. "Breaking up with you was the dumbest decision in his life! Okay, I've got the idea. What do you want from me? Bug her phone and apartment? Ask Impulse to follow her for 24 hours a day? Or maybe… "

"No, what I want is much more difficult".

"Like...?"

"Just talk to her".

Another long pause. Then Oliver cleared his throat, "Why? Chloe, I'm not her favorite person right now. Especially if she connected the dots and figured out who is the _real_ Green Arrow".

"She won't talk to me. She won't talk to Clark too. But you are not the part of this story with underground ring. You know Lois and you know Clark's secret. All of this makes you the perfect man to talk to her".

"Or the perfect man for her to yell at?"

I can't help but smile.

"I thought about this option too"

"So you decided to use me as a punching bag? Smart, Watchtower. Really, it's very smart move. Maybe I'd better face the wild boar empty-handed? It's much safer".

"C'mon, Ollie, aren't you a superhero? You guys must stick together. Next time you'll need someone to pose as a Green Arrow, you know who to ask for it".

"Okay, okay. But you owe me, Sidekick. And I can't promise anything. Your cousin is unpredictable".

"Good bye, Ollie! I wish you luck". _You'll need it_. "By the way, she _did_ found out about Green Arrow".

* * *

_Next chapter – Lois' POV._


	4. Writer's block

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

I hate to admit this, but I have to put **Man of Steel and the Vixen** on hold for a while. I encountered writer's block, and now I can think only about the next chapters of **Journey X**.

I promise not to leave this fanfic unfinished forever.

I hope you will come back when I continue with the story. Thanks again for all the support and the reviews, I appreciated it all.

Feel free to review, to suggest something, or just to encourage me to continue the story.


	5. Chapter 3

**A/N: Spoons there Are,** thanks for the support!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_(Lois's POV)_

My head is killing me. But the depressing silence hanging in air is even worse.

I hate awkward silences. I always hated them.

But you can't expect to meet a lot of interesting people to talk after being kidnapped, knocked out and locked without chances to escape. So it's either an awkward silence, or you can start talking to yourself. Yeah, I know, it's not very healthy too.

OK, Lois, what exactly happened? I was chasing a lead for the story about Senator Burke. It was supposed to be the biggest Lois Lane article since the Underground Ring. Later I was going to meet Jimmy Olsen and compare notes.

All went smooth until a man who looked like spitting image of my ex Wes Keenan appeared from thin air and killed Burke. And then everything went black.

Now my only hope was Jimmy. He is the only one who knew about my story. After Burke's death and my disappearance he'd probably ask Chloe (which means Clark) for help…

Damn! How could I forget? Jimmy and Chloe are not on speaking terms now. Can he swallow his pride and ask my cousin to help? And what if he asked? Our Friendly Neighborhood SuperFarmer to save the day again? Do I want to face him right now? Frankly speaking, I'm not ready to accept his hidden side. Not yet.

All of this was too… unexpected and complicated. Clark Kent, of all people, is some kind of superhuman. How could I misjudge him so completely? What kind of reporter it makes me?

Chloe told me once, "_There's more in Clark Kent than meets an eye_". Damn right! But I did my best to ignore the oblivious. But now, thanks to Titan, my blinders are off. All of a sudden everything makes sense. Starting from Clark's oversized hero complex - comes in package with superpowers.

How many weird accidents in Weirdsville revolved around him? Exploding pipes? Malfunctioning army helicopters? Flying barn doors?

That's the reason he knew that Chloe wasn't dead. That's how he managed to sneak on army base so easily and survived the attack of Mr. Medieval Psycho. For a long time I was sure that my shot made this freak to explode. Now I don't know. Was it only an imagination or his eyes flared up for a moment?

That's the why Clark wasn't the most opened up person in the world - because his little secrets were too dangerous. And the people who tried to drag the secrets out of him, like resident pink princess, only forced him to lash out or lie. Did I mention that Smallville is the worst liar in the world since Pinocchio?

That's why Clark was reluctant to join the football team. Predictable if he wanted to keep low profile. It required Lois Lane's Superpower of Persuasion to make him change his mind. And he stopped playing after the incident with Jeff Johns. Because Jeff cheated to win and Clark realized that he was close to cheating too? So Farmboy did the Right Thing. He quitted – even at cost of his scholarship.

So, Lois, now it's time to answer not-so-simple question. **Who is Clark Kent?** How can he do the amazing things he does?

Was he meteor-infected? I quickly dismissed this thought. Meteor freaks rarely have more than one power. Plus he showed no signs of insanity with one exception - unhealthy attachment to primary colors. No, Clark is something completely different.

Mad Wrestler called him "Kal-El". I've already heard this name before. From Barbarian Queen who almost strangled me in hospital. She and her boyfriend left after Lana claimed to know the whereabouts of "Kal-El", and nobody saw the dynamic duo again. 

_Ask Clark what did he do to them? Do you really want to know?_

So, we just established that _Clark_ was Kal-El, whatever this "Kal-El" is. And he is real-life superhero, just without suit, mask and codename.

Poor Jimmy. He had no idea what's happening between his girlfriend and her best friend. My baby cousin wasn't Clark's romantic interest. She is his confidante and assistant. That's Chloe Sullivan for you – reporter by day, sidekick by night.

So, let's see what do we have? Complete set of characters for the graphic novel.

1. Superhero (_I should get used to it, really!_).

2. His female sidekick (_deep inside, I think, she's still hoping to be more_).

3. Sidekick's jealous boyfriend (_or ex-boyfriend, since St. Valentine's Day_).

4. Hero's billionaire ex-friend turned supervillain (_classic, straight from "Warrior Angel"_).

5. Hero's ex-girlfriend with major trust issues, who broke with hero only to end up marrying villain (_they deserve each other, if you ask me_).

6. Another billionaire who happens to be a superhero too. (_I wonder if Ollie has superpowers?_)

7. Supervillain's father, ex-con who reformed (_or just tries to convince us that he is one of the good guys now_).

Wait a moment, what about me? How does Lois Lane fit in this story?

I can't be the sidekick – he already has Chloe. Archenemy? I like to bust Clark's chops sometimes, but I'd hate if something happened to him. Teammate? For the super guy who can crush concrete with bare hands? Not going to happen, until I got bitten by radioactive retriever or something. Girlfriend..? _Wait, Clark's girlfriend? Me? Now that's just ridiculous. I must have hit my poor head too hard._

Suddenly my stream of consciousness was broken by a sound of footsteps.

Silence was depressing. But the footsteps, like in bad horror movie…

"Wes? Wes? Is that you?"

No answer.

"Wes..?"

_Smallville, you'd better __hurry up! I swear to be polite and not to yell at you, just find me..! Find me, or I'll kick your butt, superpowers or not..!. Smallville..!_

* * *

_Nex__t chapter – Clark's POV._


	6. Chapter 4

**A/n: Spoon There Are, Lara-Van, Mercedes88, supesfan18, supercl529,** thanks!

* * *

**Chapter 4.**

_(Clark's POV)_

A lot of things happened after my ill-fated attempt to rescue Lex from underground tunnels.

The last but not least was Lana's mysterious visit to "Daily Planet" where she was wounded. And the gunman almost killed Chloe and Jimmy too. I managed to save Chloe from fall, but Jimmy knocked out the attacker, and became a hero for a day. I guess I'll live with it.

I half-expected Chloe to give Jimmy another chance. I was sure that Jimmy wanted it. But Chloe pulled out "let's be just friends" card. I asked her why but she didn't want to talk about it. Instead Chloe told me about Jimmy's "dream".

In the black-and-white reality of old movies Jimmy was a reporter in "Daily Planet", Lex was a most powerful man in Metropolis, Lionel owned The Talon Club and I was a timid reporter who happens to be an undercover cop. _"A__ reporter by day and crime-fighter by night"._ Chloe thought it was funny. I didn't think so. Jimmy was too close to truth. I should be more careful in future.

Chloe never told me about Lois' role in dream. Something funny, judging by the sparks in her green eyes.

_Why everything seems connected to Lois somehow?_ _How could this have happened? _

I wanted to tell her The Big Secret. Not because Lois already knew a part of it. Not because she could jump into wrong conclusions. Judging by her weird behavior after fighting club, she already did. I wanted to tell her because Lois deserved the truth. She attacked Titan with all-too-familiar fierceness and was almost killed herself trying to protect _me_.

I wanted to tell her. But how can you open up to a person that is purposely avoiding you? And why couldn't I build some courage to approach her?

_Lois, what did you do to me?_

"Brooding is like alcohol, it solves nothing, Clark," lost in thoughts, I didn't notice Oliver Queen entering the loft.

"Ollie? What are you doing in Smallville?" Chloe told me that Oliver and the gang were still demolishing the remaining 33.1 facilities.

"I decided to give the League a vacation. AC wanted to regain touch with The Ocean, after all the sewer pipes I had to drag him through. Victor is in need of some minor repairs, and only the Queen Industries facility in Star City could provide it".

"And Bart needed a lot of Mexican food..?" I smiled thinking about the most annoying member of the League. "What about you, Ollie? Keeping your image of playboy billionaire? "

"Hey, the image is important in my line of work. But I thought about this vacation as a chance to try recruiting you again. You know, show you some of the places we've cleared, or something. But then I learned about the mess you've made, Boy Scout".

I tensed, "What do you mean? Lex found out something about me? Or you located a new Zoner?"

"No, I meant situation with Lois. Watchtower asked me to talk to her. And you are supposed to be topic number one. You know, you really screwed up this time, Boy Scout".

"Tell me about it," Oliver was right. I screwed up. And now Lois doesn't even want to see me. "Why did Chloe told _you_?"

Oliver smirked, "Isn't it oblivious? You are her best friend. Lois is her cousin. And she wasn't happy to see the rift between her favorite people".

"I understand that part. But why she asked _you_ for help? You are Lois' ex, clearly not the best person to talk to her".

"At least I have diplomatic skills you completely lack, Boy Scout. By the way, aren't you the man who always told me to be honest with Lois? Was it too hard to follow your own advice?"

"It's different!"

"Why?"

"Lois was your girlfriend! Not mine!"

"So you finally admitted it? You _wanted_ Lois to be your girlfriend?" Oliver asked innocently.

Before I could find a good answer, I saw the red blur. Bart Allen, smiling like Cheshire Cat, appeared behind Oliver's back.

"Hi, _amigo_! Long time no see!"

"Hello, Bart! Already destroyed everything in my freezer?"

He rolled his eyes, "Not yet, Stretch! But you just gave me an idea, so don't complain later, ok?" He picked up the picture of me, Chloe and Lois. "How's Chloelicious? Still dating this camera geek, Johnny, or what's his name..?"

"Jimmy. He broke with her". _And you were the major reason of their breakup. _

"He WHAT?" Bart was literally fuming. "Chloelicious was the best thing in this loser's life! And he dumped her! What an asshole! Clark, do you know his address? I'm going to give Jimmy-boy a piece of my mind and my powers! "

I grabber his shoulder before Bart sped away.

"Bart? Just answer one question. What you are hoping to accomplish by beating him?"

"Huh?" Impulse was slightly surprised by question.

I explained, "Do you want Jimmy to change his mind and go back to Chloe?"

"What? Of course not! Chloelicious deserves better…!"

I interrupted, "Bart, I _know_ that Chloe is wonderful. I knew it for years and I'm certainly not going to argue with you about this. But I'm not sure you should tell _Jimmy_ about it. Chloe, on the other hand, can use some encouragement".

Impulse beamed, "And this looks like a job for SuperBart! Dude, you are genius!"

"Bart? And try to be a bit less Impulse-ive!"

"Got it. Bye, bye, _amigos_!" He disappeared. I turned to Oliver who kept silence during my talk with Bart. He seemed slightly amused.

"What?"

"Clark, I'm impressed. Never though you are matchmaker type," stated Oliver. "As far as I remember, you always behaved like an overprotective elder brother around Chloe".

"Only because Chloe always was a magnet for dangerous guys. Shawn the Iceman, killer-telekinetic Justin, Two-Faced Jan. I wanted to protect her. Can you blame me for this?"

"And Jimmy Olsen..?"

"He looked harmless enough. And he absolutely admired Chloe. I didn't expect him to break Chloe's heart. But now, when all is said and done, I can see that it was inevitable. Jimmy was always insecure, always afraid that Chloe will dump him for me. And when she defended me after Red-K accident, he reached his breaking point".

"And you want Bart to be band-aid for her broken heart?"

"Not exactly. Listen, Bart was always…"

"Impulse-ive?" Oliver smirked.

"Yes. But we both know that his heart is in right place. He'd never hurt Chloe, at least not intentionally. And Chloe doesn't need to lie to him to protect me or the League. It was always an issue with Jimmy".

Oliver nodded. "Or any other guy outside our little secret society. You are smarted than I gave you credit for, Boy Scout. But do you really believe it could work?"

"I wish I knew. Never could predict future".

"Ok, back to the main topic. What exactly happened in this fighting club? I only know about Chloe's discovery. Lois told Chloe a bit about her adventures, but I suspect she skipped everything more or less important. So..?"

I started to tell Oliver about my encounter with Maddox.

"Man of Steel? I bet you enjoyed new codename".

"Are you joking? I admit, it's better than "Boy Scout", but c'mon, don't you think "Man of Steel" suits Victor much more?"

Oliver's communicator beeped. He looked on the screen, "Speak of the devil. It's Victor. He just hacked the police database. Senator Burke's murder looked like a work of meteor-infected, and I decided to investigate it further… Oh, shit!"

"What's the matter?"

"Lois. They found her handbag a few meters from Burke's murder scene".

The worried look on Oliver's face mirrored my own rising fear.

"She is in trouble…"

* * *

_(Next chapter - Lois' POV)_


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_(Lois's POV)_

I was running. Unshed tears threatened to cloud my vision.

_I failed__. _

When I saw Wesley standing in front of me, I tried to reach him telling about out past, our friendship. I mentioned our first kiss. And it worked. For a moment old Wes was back. I started to hope… only to see him changing into killing machine again. Whatever Lex Luthor did to him, it was much stronger than old memories and bonds of friendship.

The massive door slammed shut. No way out. And invisible Wes was lurking somewhere in shadows, ready to kill again.

"Wes, please! Don't let them do this to you again! You are not a murderer!"

He didn't answer. Just a strong unseen hand grabbed my neck and started to choke.

No air.

I passed out.

"…no choice. It was the only way to save Lois".

The voice was muffled and full of regret.

"Don't... blame yourself… cough… They'll… never stop… trying to control… cough… me… Promise… cough… don't let them… do this… to anyone else…"

The first voice answered "I promise".

_Clark!_

I managed to stand up, struggling with fierce headache. .

Wes was lying on his back. He was pale, burns on his chin looked like he was shot by laser gun. It was a mystery why he was still alive. Clark kneeled near Wes, holding his hand. Clark's face was deadly serious.

"Lois… cough…"

"Wes! Wes, I'm here!"

His face brightened a bit when he saw me.

"Good… I'd never… forgive…cough… cough…" Wes didn't finish the sentence. I almost could feel the life leaving his broken body.

"Wes, stay with me! Please! Don't leave me!" I grabbed his shoulders and shake him lightly. "Don't die on me! Don't you dare! WES, PLEASE!" But he couldn't hear me anymore.

_Wesley Keenan was dead_.

He supposed to be dead after helicopter accident four months ago. But this time his death was real. And it was killing me from the inside.

"Lois, I'm sorry".

I saw that Clark wanted to touch me, to comfort me with one of his famous bear hugs, but couldn't bring himself to do it. And I knew why. He blamed himself for Wes' death.

Well, I didn't. No matter how much it pained me to see Wesley dead; I'd never blame Smallville for it. If Luthor transformed me into cyborg killer, I'd be feeling nothing by gratitude to the man who stopped me from killing innocents. The same goes to Wes. Clark did him a favor. He freed Wes from twisted parody of life, but I knew that Farm boy feels otherwise.

Because Clark Kent never was a murderer. It he was, nothing could save Lex Luthor from his wrath. But Clark, like all of us, had a weak point. Start hurting people close to him – and you'll send Clark over the edge.

_And this time __my__ life was at stake…_

Not knowing what to say, I just hugged him. At first Clark was hesitant and tense, but then his strong arms pulled me closer. I felt the familiar aura of warmth enveloping me.

It was exactly what I needed. Today I was kidnapped, almost killed, and then I saw the death of a childhood friend. That was too much, even for Lois Lane. But when Clark held me, I felt completely safe. He was the Man of Steel, and he won't let anybody hurt me.

Swallowing hot tears, I whispered, "Stop blaming yourself, Smallville".

"He said the same thing. Why can't I believe him?"

"You are good man, Clark. I know it. And you always have this guilt complex when the things are out of control. You only wanted to save me. And you'd save him too if you could. But you couldn't, right?"

"No. There was a force field around his body. I barely managed to pierce it before…" Clark winced.

I helped him, "Before he killed me?"

He nodded.

"But you are still feeling that you owe him?"

"Yes".

"Then help me bring down this son of a bitch!"

'Lex?'

"No, Mahatma Gandhi! Of course, I meant Lex! I'm not asking you to fry him alive – you are not a killer, and murder isn't justice. But the world must know what a monster he really is!"

"Lois, I'll help you, I promise," he answered without hesitation. "And Wes isn't the only reason. You know, Lois, there's something I should tell you…"

I wasn't in the mood for his deep dark secrets after everything I faced today.

"Just take me to the farm, Smallville. We'll talk tomorrow, ok? "

"Ok". Clark picked me up effortlessly. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for super-speed.

Whoosh – not enough time to blink twice - and we were in Clark's Fortress of Not-So-Much-Solitude.

"I think you need a hot shower," said Clark, gently setting me down. "Fell free to occupy my bed. I'll call Chloe if you want her to keep you company".

"No, I don't. Just tell her that I'm safe. And thanks for the offering, Smallville. Usually you are not very enthusiastic being kicked out of your bed".

"I can survive one night on a couch, Lois. My skin is pretty tough, you know".

"Yeah", I smiled. "_Now_ I know".

_Clark can always make me smile; no matter how complicated my life is. He is really one of a kind..._

"Good night, Lois".

"Good night, Clarkie".

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_(__Next chapter – Oliver's POV)_


	8. Chapter 6

**Lara-Van, That Don't Make me a Bad Guy, Aaron Leach,** thanks for reviews!

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**Chapter 6**

(Oliver's POV)

After everything I learned about Luthor's new super soldier, League needed all the firepower we could gather. And Clark Kent, with his unique set of powers, was an analogue of heavy assault tank. I'd be galactically stupid leaving him behind.

Being Mr. Stubborn, he'd probably refuse again, but this time I wasn't going to take "no" for answer. I knew that I needed help to make Clark change his mind. Victor and AC weren't available for the task, but Chloe and Bart were. Chloe was completely on my side, she thought that Clark is wasting his talents by staying at the farm, and blamed Lana Lang-Luthor for his inability to make decisions. And Bart was excited by perspective of his _amigo_ as a teammate.

I sent them both to the farm to prepare Clark. Chloe invented a good excuse for visit – she needed to see Lois after accident with Wesley Keenan. They've got plenty of time to before I join them and make Clark an offer he couldn't refuse.

Too bad Impulse and Watchtower were slightly distracted by each other. Bart took Clark's advice about _encouraging_ Chloe too close to heart. He even agreed to use her car instead of running, because it meant to be close to the girl of his dreams. Probably he was flirting with Chloe all the way from Talon to Kent Farm.

Another possible complication for Operation Recruitment was a certain fiery-tempered brunette. After being nearly killed, Lois didn't move back to Talon as Chloe offered. I still wasn't sure if she already came to terms with Clark being super-boy. Another question - what about "Green Arrow chase"? Is Lois still mad at me for fooling her?

I wasn't ready for the long argument with Lois. So I needed to talk to Clark without Lois in the line of sight. And that was another part of my request to Chloe. To keep her cousin distracted.

So, what's the plan again?

1. Tell Clark the bad news about Project Ares and convince him to join League.

2. Keep Impulse in check.

3. Avoid Lois Lane.

I got out of the car and immediately saw Chloe, standing alone on the porch. No signs of Bart and Clark.

"What took you so long, Oliver? I already started to worry".

"Chloe, what's the matter? You and Bart are supposed to be with Clark!"

She shrugged, "I had to send them shopping. Believe me, it was the only way to get rid of Bart… at least temporarily".

"What about our plan?"

Chloe smiled brightly, "It's hard not to forget the plan when Bart Allen is around".

"And how we are going to convince Clark if he isn't here? You have teleportation abilities you forgot to mention?"

Chloe slightly flinched when I mentioned "abilities", and then quickly answered "Ollie, I'm not sure we can succeed".

"Explain, if you don't mind," I started to lose patience.

"Since Lois was kidnappied, her well-being is Clark's main concern. My cousin was already targeted by Luthor, and Clark is afraid there'd be more attempts to get rid of her. I doubt he'd leave her alone for long. It's a miracle that he agreed to go shopping".

_I should have seen it coming.__ Plans never go smooth with Lois Lane around._

First time when I saw Clark in my apartment, I decided that he was Lois' jealous ex. To say that I was surprised when she called him "_Smallville_" is an understatement of the year.

Lois briefly mentioned Martha Kent's only son when I was asking her about new Senator. But the broad-shouldered guy in red jacket didn't match her description. He looked handsome even in primary colors. I couldn't imagine him playing with the telescope instead of dating popular girls and scoring touchdowns on football field. Only much later, when I learned about his powers, I realized why Clark Kent was so withdrawn, so unable to enjoy life. Because of "weight of the world on his shoulders" as Chloe called it. Clark built a wall around himself, using fears and responsibilities as the bricks.

Though I was wrong about "ex" part, there definitely _was_ something between these two. Something I just couldn't quite put my finger on. And the fierce denial from both Lois and Clark when I mentioned "feelings hidden behind sarcasm" just proved that I wasn't imagining things.

_Stop thinking about __that! Concentrate on the main problem!_

"Chloe, why didn't you call me to tell about change in plans? I had to cancel an important meeting to come here".

"Can't you see what a wonderful opportunity it is? Now you can talk to Lois without Clark around to eavesdrop".

_So much for "Avoid Lois Lane"..._

"Chloe, please, I'm really not in the mood…"

She interrupted me, "Oliver, you _promised_ you'd talk to Lois. I don't want to be caught between you two. After participating in Clark/Lana endless soap opera, I refuse to be referee anymore!"

Watchtower was right, as always. It's impossible to dodge Lois Lane forever. And it's unfair to Chloe, who already was a part of my team.

"Ok, I'll do it. Where is Lois?"

"She's in the living room. Good luck, Ollie".

I found Lois sitting on the coach and watching "X-Men: The Last Stand". Strange choice of movie – I expected something like "Die Hard".

X-Men were preparing for the flight to Alcatraz, knowing that there'd be only six X-Men against an army.

"_They are ready," said Wolverine._

_Storm looked into his eyes, "Yeah, I know. But are you ready to do what's necessary when the time comes?"_

This question echoed in my ears. I wasn't ready. Frankly, I'd prefer flying to Alcatraz and fighting Magneto's army alongside X-Men. It's better than standing here looking at Lois and not knowing what to say.

Lois seemed to be concentrated on the movie, but she turned around abruptly when I came closer.

"Oliver Queen. Or should I call you Green Arrow?"

"Lois…"

"Don't "Lois" me. Just shut up and listen. And no comments, understand? Don't make it harder for both of us".

"I'm all ears".

"I don't hate you".

_Well, that's unexpected. _

Lois misunderstood my look for disbelief, "No, really, I don't hate you, Ollie. I'm frustrated and hurt, angry, but not mad. You had a reason to keep me in the dark. I was the one who threatened to unmask you on the front page of Inquisitor. You tried to tell me that Green Arrow isn't criminal, but I refused to listen". She added, "And if you think about little stunt with "Clark Arrow"… What can I say? I set the trap for you, you used impostor to avoid being trapped. We are even. And", a wry smile appeared on her face, "I bet you didn't like arriving on the scene only to find me in lip-lock with your substitute".

"Don't remind me," I feigned a smile.

"But I want to know something. First of all, why did you have to leave Metropolis? Was it Queen Industries or superhero business?"

"Superhero business," anticipating her next question, I explained, "You already know that Lex Luthor was performing illegal experiments on people. He wanted to build an army of super soldiers".

A flash of pain her eyes, "Like Wes?"

I simply nodded. "And my team was the only force in the world capable of stopping him".

"_Your team_? Wow, Robin Hood has a merry band of men in tights, fighting a good fight? "

"Very funny, Lois".

"What about Clark? Is he a part of your team too?"

"No, he isn't, _yet_. And that's why I'm here today. Believe me, I'm glad that you don't hold a grudge, but I wasn't planning this talk".

Lois chuckled, "Chloe is nosy, right?"

"As I've heard, it's a family trait".

"You have no idea, Ollie," she bit her lip. "About Clark. How exactly are you going to persuade him?"

"Well, I'll tell him the latest news about Project Ares, then…"

"Not going to work".

"What?"

"Trust me. It's not going to work. Better leave Farm Boy to me".

"Lois..?"

"I mean it, Ollie. Gather your super team, tell me place and time, and I'll handle Clark. He'd be there even if I have to twist his arm and drag him," she had this "_don't even try to argue"_ look on her face I knew too well. 

_Poor Boy Scout. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost._

"Ok, I am leaving him at your mercy. Good-bye, Lois!"

"Bye!"

_Wish I'd be here. Lois is the only woman that can make indestructible man squirm._

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(__Next chapter – Clark's POV)_


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_(Clark's POV)_

_Her skin glistened with droplets of water, when Lois opened the door, hairbrush in her hand ready to strike. My heart was pounding; I licked my lips involuntarily, admiring her goddess-like figure._

_But instead of slamming the door in my face, Lois grabbed my collar, pulled me in the apartment and closed the door behind us._

_She whispered in a seductive tone, not bothering to cover herself "__Seen something you liked, Smallville? I knew you were planning to repay me for the shower accident"._

"_Uhm…"_

"_What, __Lana got your tongue?"_

_I ignored the Lana remark, unable to come up with a witty remark, the closeness of her body made me speechless. _

_Her hazel eyes widened, she grinned like a cat that just swallowed a canary "It's flashlight in your pocket, or you are just happy to see me?"_

_Not giving me the chance to answer, Lois wrapped her hands around my face and pulled me down for a kiss._

"_Well, Smallville?" the sound of her voice made me even more aroused. I grabbed Lois and captured her lips; hands went to her waist to slide up and down her sides, enjoying flawlessness of her skin. _

"_SMALLVILLE!"_

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"Smallville!"

"M-huh?"

"Wakey, wakey, lazybones".

I slowly opened my eyes and sighed, realizing that naked Lois was just a dream. The real Lois was standing beside the couch, with hands on her hips and mildly amused expression on her face. And, what's more important...

Lois confirmed "You are floating, Peter Pan".

I plummeted down and landed with a thud, the legs of the couch breaking under the force.

When I examined the ruined furniture trying to figure out if the couch can be repaired, she asked "It happened before? This floating thing?"

"Yes, once or twice. But only when I was sleeping".

"Do you remember your dreams?"

"Well…" I decided to change the topic. Discussing my dream with Lois wasn't an option. "How about a cup of coffee? I need to clear my head".

After two mugs of hot coffee the air was full of uncomfortable silence. Lois couldn't stand uncomfortable silences. I guess after all the time spent with her I'm starting too.

"So…"

"So…"

"Lois, yesterday you said you weren't in the mood to talk about my secrets. What about now?"

"Smallville, you know me. I have a million of questions. But are you sure you _want_ to answer? It's not because of misguided sense of guilt or something?"

"No, I want you to know, Lois. I've kept you in the dark for too long. I can't tell you everything, some secrets are not mine to share, but I'll do my best".

"You'd better. So, question number one - since when you started wearing black leather, Smallville?"

* * *

"That's all?"

"Well… " I never felt so nervous before. Not even in alternative world when I proposed to Lana and was waiting for her response. "I'm… um… pretty sure there's nothing else to tell".

"Smallville, are you okay?"

"Lois, I just told you that I'm from another planet, and you are asking _me_ if I'm okay?"

"What else I'm supposed to ask? Clarkie, you look like you've been undressed, tied up and thrown into a locker room full of horny cheerleaders. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you are afraid of me. Am I so scary 'cause I didn't have time for makeup this morning?"

_I've seen you dirty, I've seen you half-drown, I've seen you wounded. I've seen you in hospital, fighting for your life. So the lack of makeup doesn't make you less beautiful... Wait, did I just call Lois beautiful? Stupid dream, I'm so messed up! _

I tried to explain "It's just… I expected different reaction from you".

"Like "flinch, yell and run away?" Lois snorted loudly. "Smallville, you are alien, not a B-grade monster movie villain. In fact, it's not bad that you are E.T.".

I asked "Why?" not trying to follow the twisted logic of Lois Joanne Lane.

"Think about it. You have powers. Powers are not coming from nowhere, even in comic books there is some weird explanation. The guy can be stricken by lightning, dig out a shoelace of ancient god or encounter a bunch of old creeps from forgotten race looking for a champion. But if you have powers and live in Smallville, Kansas, most likely you are meteor freak. That's always a bad thing".

"Not all of them are evil, Lois".

Lois was adamant "Exceptions to the rule, Smallville. The ones we saw in action _were_ mostly evil. You are not going to argue?"

"Well…"

"So what if you weren't meteor infected? It could be government experiment. You know, crazy scientists get tired of shooting monkeys into space, and send toddler instead, he absorbs cosmic rays, and returns to Earth with the powers of all the Fantastic Four. That means being under surveillance 24/7, army of eggheads trying to understand what makes you tick, and – when you are old enough – they'd send you to Kasnia or Tarazistan with a black ops team". Lois put her head on one side and asked "Why are you looking at me like that? Just because my father is a General doesn't mean I approve everything our government does".

I confessed "It was Dad's nightmare since I came to their life. Black suits capturing me and dissecting like a frog".

"Then it's a good thing that your skin is bulletproof, Smallville," Lois punched me on the shoulder. "Ah, there's one more possibility. You could have been a cyborg. And we all know what happens to cyborgs in the movies. Either your creators try to put programming in your brains, as if you are just a walking notebook, or your male parts aren't in working order". She shot me a curious look, with sparks of mischief in her hazel eyes. "By the way, I almost forgot to ask…"

"Lo-is!" _Damn, I'm blushing! _"I'm not going to answer THIS question!"

Lois replied innocently, "Fine, I'll just ask Chloe. She seems to know all sorts of things about you". She added with a smile. "Now you see? It's not so bad to be alien".

"I prefer the term "intergalactic traveler".

"Why? 'Alien' is shorter".

"Aliens are associated with invasions, kidnapping people and the other non-friendly stuff, thanks to B-rated movies".

Lois said with extreme seriousness "Well, it's only fair to warn you, Smallville. If you are not planning to conquer Earth and force everybody to wear plaid, I'd find a way to stop you".

Suddenly she glanced at the watch and said, "Clarkie, I need a favor".

Lois was up to something. I could feel it.

"There's one place in Metropolis I must visit today, and," she glanced at the watch again, "I'm always out of time. Can you..?"

_That's all?_

I smiled in relief, "You want to use Clark Express again? I thought you didn't like it".

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I set Lois down on the ground in the dark alley not far from Centennial Park.

I explained, "It's easier to run on superspeed in Smallville. There's much less chances to blow the cover than in big city".

"I understand. Now let's hurry; we have only five minutes left".

We only needed three minutes to reach an apartment Lois was looking for. The door wasn't locked. I entered the apartment after Lois… and stopped short, looking at dumbfounded faces of Oliver, Bart, Victor and AC.

"Lois? What's going on?"

"It's called "big surprise", Smallville," she looked at Oliver victoriously. "See? I promised you, Clark is going to be here in time? Well, there he is!"

_I'm so dead… _

I was sure Oliver thinking the same thing.

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_(Next chapter – Oliver's POV)_


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